Metal Sonic
Resurgence
[Overview]
<p>Lapras has access to Thunderbolt and a wonderful ability in Water Absorb, which grants it an immunity to Water-type attacks, allowing it to function as a great check to the myriad of Water-types lurking in the Neverused tier. Offensively, Lapras faces competition for a slot on the team from other Water-types such as Samurott and Seismitoad. However, Lapras can play the role of an offensive tank, especially with its decent bulk and BoltBeam coverage. Finally, Lapras's Ice typing allows it to check some threatening Ice-types. Lapras is a fair Pokemon in the tier as it can perform multiple roles decently; however, it isn't an amazing one either as it cannot perform any of them exceptionally well.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Substitute / Frost Breath
item: Leftovers / Choice Specs
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Modest
evs: 200 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Access to Thunderbolt and a STAB Ice Beam is Lapras's niche. Water Absorb is a great ability, granting Lapras an immunity to Water-type moves and restoring 25% of its health when hit by one. Thus, there is a great incentive to switch Lapras into a predicted Water-type attack so it can check the opponent. Lapras's great bulk lets it take on powerful Water- and Ice-types with ease, especially Samurott. Hydro Pump is an obvious STAB option and helps take down Fire-, Rock-, and Ground-type opponents such as Golem, Probopass, Torkoal, and Charizard. Thunderbolt is a great move that smashes the Water-types that Lapras checks, including Samurott and Alomomola. Ice Beam is used for defeating Grass-types that threaten Lapras, such as Roselia and Vileplume, and potentially KO them before they have a chance to strike back. Substitute is used to ease prediction on the Leftovers set and can also block status moves. Lapras can set up with Substitute against Alomomola or when it forces a switch. Frost Breath should only be used with Choice Specs, as it allows Lapras to break through opponents with Special Defense boosts thanks to its 100% critical hit rate.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The 44 Speed EVs allow Lapras to outspeed Roselia and Alomomola, while the rest of the EVs are put into its bulk. Some EVs are invested into Lapras's defenses rather than its HP, as this results in an overall bulkier spread. Having an HP stat indivisible by four reduces the damage Lapras takes from Stealth Rock. With the given EVs, Lapras can survive two Life Orb-boosted Hidden Power Grasses from Samurott after Leftovers recovery, a +2 Megahorn after Stealth Rock damage, and even a +2 Life Orb-boosted Hidden Power Grass from Gorebyss given that it is at full HP. This is useful as one of Lapras's roles is to check offensive Water-types.</p>
<p>Roselia and Garbodor are great teammates for Lapras, as they can provide entry hazard support and soak up Toxic Spikes, which cripple Lapras. Garbodor is a fantastic check to Fighting-types that threaten Lapras, while Roselia can take on Electric-types and fast Grass-types such as Serperior and Simisage. Rapid Spin support is nice to have for Lapras. Torkoal is the best spinner to pair with Lapras as it resists Grass-type moves, can spin away entry hazards, and can set up its own entry hazards. Meanwhile, Lapras can reliably take down the Water- and Ground-types that try to force Torkoal out with Toxic and Ice Beam, respectively. Some Ground-types such as Golem make for great teammates, as they are immune to Electric-type moves and can take Rock-type attacks aimed at Lapras. Furthermore, they can set up Stealth Rock to support the team. In return, Lapras can take Water- and Ice-type attacks for them. Sawk and Torterra deserve special mentions as partners for Lapras, as both have a resistance to Rock-type attacks and have the ability to prevent opposing entry hazards from being set up thanks to Mold Breaker and Bullet Seed, respectively. Meanwhile, Lapras can handle the Ice-type attacks that Torterra hates.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>A specially defensive set can be used for Lapras to take on Gorebyss and special Samurott. A physically defensive set can allow it to beat Swords Dance Samurott and Ground-types more easily. However, Walrein is more adept at this role due to its greater bulk and access to Encore.</p>
<p>Lapras has a fair base 85 Attack and access to Dragon Dance, so it can run a physically offensive set with Waterfall, Ice Shard, and Drill Run as its attacking moves. However, its base 60 Speed leaves much to be desired, and it can be outsped and KOed by multiple Choice Scarf users even after a boost or two. Lapras can utilize a physical Curse set to take advantage of its great bulk, but its multitude of weaknesses to common attacking types such as Fighting and Grass makes it unable to set up safely. Lapras has access to Heal Bell and can act as a cleric, but such a role is generally done better by bulkier teammates such as Musharna and Audino. A set with Hydration and Rest may look cool at first sight, but Lapras will rarely stay in to take advantage of rain, as it is easily forced out due to its poor defensive typing.</p>
[Checks & Counters]
<p>As Ice is a poor defensive typing, Lapras has multiple weaknesses that make it easy to force out. Lapras's weakness to Stealth Rock and vulnerability to Spikes leave it severely weakened after a few switch-ins. Fast Pokemon with super effective STAB moves can force it out if they switch in safely: prime examples include Ludicolo, Electabuzz, Sawk, and Primeape. As Lapras can easily be worn down by Substitute, entry hazard damage (especially Toxic Spikes and Stealth Rock), and offensive pressure, care should be taken to minimize the amount of residual damage it takes. In general, Lapras is too slow to check offensive teams, yet lacks the power to break stall teams. Both of these team archetypes are able to handle Lapras easily.</p>
<p>Lapras has access to Thunderbolt and a wonderful ability in Water Absorb, which grants it an immunity to Water-type attacks, allowing it to function as a great check to the myriad of Water-types lurking in the Neverused tier. Offensively, Lapras faces competition for a slot on the team from other Water-types such as Samurott and Seismitoad. However, Lapras can play the role of an offensive tank, especially with its decent bulk and BoltBeam coverage. Finally, Lapras's Ice typing allows it to check some threatening Ice-types. Lapras is a fair Pokemon in the tier as it can perform multiple roles decently; however, it isn't an amazing one either as it cannot perform any of them exceptionally well.</p>
[SET]
name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Substitute / Frost Breath
item: Leftovers / Choice Specs
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Modest
evs: 200 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Access to Thunderbolt and a STAB Ice Beam is Lapras's niche. Water Absorb is a great ability, granting Lapras an immunity to Water-type moves and restoring 25% of its health when hit by one. Thus, there is a great incentive to switch Lapras into a predicted Water-type attack so it can check the opponent. Lapras's great bulk lets it take on powerful Water- and Ice-types with ease, especially Samurott. Hydro Pump is an obvious STAB option and helps take down Fire-, Rock-, and Ground-type opponents such as Golem, Probopass, Torkoal, and Charizard. Thunderbolt is a great move that smashes the Water-types that Lapras checks, including Samurott and Alomomola. Ice Beam is used for defeating Grass-types that threaten Lapras, such as Roselia and Vileplume, and potentially KO them before they have a chance to strike back. Substitute is used to ease prediction on the Leftovers set and can also block status moves. Lapras can set up with Substitute against Alomomola or when it forces a switch. Frost Breath should only be used with Choice Specs, as it allows Lapras to break through opponents with Special Defense boosts thanks to its 100% critical hit rate.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The 44 Speed EVs allow Lapras to outspeed Roselia and Alomomola, while the rest of the EVs are put into its bulk. Some EVs are invested into Lapras's defenses rather than its HP, as this results in an overall bulkier spread. Having an HP stat indivisible by four reduces the damage Lapras takes from Stealth Rock. With the given EVs, Lapras can survive two Life Orb-boosted Hidden Power Grasses from Samurott after Leftovers recovery, a +2 Megahorn after Stealth Rock damage, and even a +2 Life Orb-boosted Hidden Power Grass from Gorebyss given that it is at full HP. This is useful as one of Lapras's roles is to check offensive Water-types.</p>
<p>Roselia and Garbodor are great teammates for Lapras, as they can provide entry hazard support and soak up Toxic Spikes, which cripple Lapras. Garbodor is a fantastic check to Fighting-types that threaten Lapras, while Roselia can take on Electric-types and fast Grass-types such as Serperior and Simisage. Rapid Spin support is nice to have for Lapras. Torkoal is the best spinner to pair with Lapras as it resists Grass-type moves, can spin away entry hazards, and can set up its own entry hazards. Meanwhile, Lapras can reliably take down the Water- and Ground-types that try to force Torkoal out with Toxic and Ice Beam, respectively. Some Ground-types such as Golem make for great teammates, as they are immune to Electric-type moves and can take Rock-type attacks aimed at Lapras. Furthermore, they can set up Stealth Rock to support the team. In return, Lapras can take Water- and Ice-type attacks for them. Sawk and Torterra deserve special mentions as partners for Lapras, as both have a resistance to Rock-type attacks and have the ability to prevent opposing entry hazards from being set up thanks to Mold Breaker and Bullet Seed, respectively. Meanwhile, Lapras can handle the Ice-type attacks that Torterra hates.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>A specially defensive set can be used for Lapras to take on Gorebyss and special Samurott. A physically defensive set can allow it to beat Swords Dance Samurott and Ground-types more easily. However, Walrein is more adept at this role due to its greater bulk and access to Encore.</p>
<p>Lapras has a fair base 85 Attack and access to Dragon Dance, so it can run a physically offensive set with Waterfall, Ice Shard, and Drill Run as its attacking moves. However, its base 60 Speed leaves much to be desired, and it can be outsped and KOed by multiple Choice Scarf users even after a boost or two. Lapras can utilize a physical Curse set to take advantage of its great bulk, but its multitude of weaknesses to common attacking types such as Fighting and Grass makes it unable to set up safely. Lapras has access to Heal Bell and can act as a cleric, but such a role is generally done better by bulkier teammates such as Musharna and Audino. A set with Hydration and Rest may look cool at first sight, but Lapras will rarely stay in to take advantage of rain, as it is easily forced out due to its poor defensive typing.</p>
[Checks & Counters]
<p>As Ice is a poor defensive typing, Lapras has multiple weaknesses that make it easy to force out. Lapras's weakness to Stealth Rock and vulnerability to Spikes leave it severely weakened after a few switch-ins. Fast Pokemon with super effective STAB moves can force it out if they switch in safely: prime examples include Ludicolo, Electabuzz, Sawk, and Primeape. As Lapras can easily be worn down by Substitute, entry hazard damage (especially Toxic Spikes and Stealth Rock), and offensive pressure, care should be taken to minimize the amount of residual damage it takes. In general, Lapras is too slow to check offensive teams, yet lacks the power to break stall teams. Both of these team archetypes are able to handle Lapras easily.</p>
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